Recognizing Women and Girls in Israel and the U.S. Jewish Community

December was a remarkable month for recognizing accomplished women and girls in both Israel and the U.S. Jewish community. Last month, Hadassah Foundation grant recipients bestowed several awards and announced selections for prestigious fellowship programs. In addition, the leaders of several current and recent Hadassah Foundation grant recipients received awards and recognition from outside organizations. As we usher in 2026, we’re inspired by the many women and girls who made a difference in 2025 — and who will be important to watch in the coming year.

 

Forum Dvorah Honors Women in National Security and Foreign Policy

In a ceremony on December 1st, featuring Israeli First Lady Michal Herzog, Hadassah Foundation grant recipient Forum Dvorah honored trailblazing women in Israel’s national security and foreign policy sectors. Col. (Res.) Pnina Sharvit Baruch, Forum Dvorah’s chair, said the honorees “prove that Israel’s future can be built only if women are an integral part of the leadership of national security and policy — not as decoration, not as exceptions, but as full partners in shaping the moral, strategic, and social character of the state.” The organization conferred five awards:

• Lifetime Achievement to three women working in the defense industry. The women, who did not want to be identified publicly, work for Elbit, Israel Aerospace Industries, and Rafael, three of Israel’s leading developers of offensive and defensive weapons systems. The award recognizes these women’s professional contributions, as well as their work mentoring other women in the industry.
• Advancing Foreign Policy to Ambassador Yael Rabia-Zadok, who is Deputy Director General for Economics at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The award notes that she “has advanced regional and international partnerships, strengthened Israel’s economic standing, and worked tirelessly to preserve and expand trade relations even in times of crisis” and is a “leading voice for promoting women in the diplomatic arena.”
• National Security to women who have served in the reserves since October 7, 2023. Two women reservists, who asked not to be identified publicly and have each served hundreds of days in key roles, accepted the award on behalf of the 65,000 women who have served in the reserves since October 7.
• National Security Honorable Mention to Dr. Hagar Mizrahi, Israel’s chief medical officer, who, according to her award letter, “has stood at the forefront of the medical and ethical response since October 7, 2023, working tirelessly for the hostages, their families, and Israel’s national resilience.”
• Young Leadership to Lian Pollak-David, a co-founder of the Regional Security Coalition Initiative and a strategic adviser in the national and international arenas.

In her remarks as event host, journalist Liat Regev said, “In these times, when weighty security and diplomatic decisions are being made in forums where women are not represented, it is clear that the Forum’s mission is far from complete, and its importance remains as great as ever.” Learn more about the Forum Dvorah awards here (in Hebrew) and about Forum Dvorah here (in English).

 

JWI Celebrates “Women to Watch”

Hadassah Foundation grant recipient Jewish Women International honored eight “visionary Jewish women whose work, leadership, and lives reflect courage, creativity, and commitment to building a better world.” Listed are 2025 honorees:

• Ami Becker Aronson, a philanthropist, foundation director, and “feminine design strategist.”
• Jennifer Grossman, the Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Shalom Tikvah, a nonprofit mental health organization serving Jewish families in the Baltimore and Silver Spring communities of Maryland.
• Michelle Marsh, President of First Class Nevada Inc., and a longtime advocate for victims of domestic violence.
• Zibby Owens, founder of Zibby Media, which includes the award-winning daily podcast “Totally Booked with Zibby,” Zibby Publishing in New York, and Zibby’s Bookshop in Santa Monica, Calif., plus a book club, retreats, events, and more.
• Lindsay Pinchuk, an entrepreneur, marketer, consultant, educator, speaker, connector, community builder, podcaster, small business advocate, and activist.
• Rachel Schindler, a startup founder and builder working at the intersection of media, AI, and technology.
• Gilly Segal, the General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer of Guided by Good, Inc., and author of several novels, including the New York Times bestseller, “I’m Not Dying with You Tonight.”
• Rebecca Soffer, cofounder of Modern Loss, a publication, community, and movement addressing the long arc of grief. She is also the author of the bestselling “The Modern Loss Handbook: An Interactive Guide to Moving Through Grief and Building Your Resilience” and of “Modern Loss: Candid Conversation About Grief. Beginners Welcome.”

Learn more about JWI and the honorees here.

 

Moving Traditions Selects 84 Participants for Immersive Teen Programs

Hadassah Foundation grant recipient Moving Traditions announced the participants accepted into the 2025-2026 cohorts of its three immersive teen programs: the Meyer-Gottesman Kol Koleinu Teen Feminist Fellowship, Kumi: Foundation, and jGirls+ Magazine Editorial and Photography Staff. This year’s cohorts represent a diverse cross-section of Jewish teen activists, writers, photographers, and changemakers who are committed to creating positive impact in their communities and beyond.

Moving Traditions’ Meyer-Gottesman Kol Koleinu Teen Feminist Fellowship is a distinctive opportunity for young Jewish feminists to learn how to effectively speak their minds and create the change they want to see in the world. Now in its eighth year, the Fellowship is welcoming 43 teen activists to participate in four regional cohorts.

jGirls+ Magazine provides a platform for Jewish teen girls, trans, and nonbinary youth to explore identity, creativity, and community through their writing and photography. The 2025-26 Editorial and Photography Staff works collaboratively throughout the year to produce content that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of Jewish teens today.

“This year’s teen editors and photographers have already started to build a strong feminist community that’s poised to amplify youth voice,” said Elizabeth Mandel, founder of jGirls+ Magazine and Moving Traditions’ VP of Feminist Programs, in a news release. “jGirls+ Magazine is reaching more people now that we are part of the Moving Traditions’ suite of programs – and I can’t wait to get more eyes on the inspiring work of these young authors, artists, and editors who have so much to say.”

Kumi is a unique opportunity for Jewish teens (10th-12th graders) of all genders to build the skills and experience needed to understand and interrupt racism, antisemitism, and manifestations of gender bias. This teen leadership experience creates a living laboratory for exploring justice and equity from a Jewish lens. Learn more about Moving Traditions and its new cohort members here.

 

Four Grantees Recognized by Israel’s Minister for Social Equality and the Promotion of Women

Leaders of two grantee organizations — Racheli Tedassa Malchai of Empowering Ethiopian Women and Yael Boim-Fein of the Institute for Gender Equity in Education — were among the 23 recipients of a 2025 Medal of Appreciation from May Golan, Israel’s Minister for Social Equality and Promotion of Women. One of the few Ethiopian-led feminist organizations in Israel, Empowering Ethiopian Women offers specialized programs to foster self-confidence, as well as to improve participants’ career readiness, financial literacy, and communication and negotiation skills. The Institute for Gender Equity in Education seeks to foster an equitable educational environment where every student in Israel can fulfil their potential, free from gender bias. Its grant funds a program focusing on girls in fifth and sixth grade, a critical developmental stage when many girls shy away from leadership roles. Both were awarded three-year Hadassah Foundation grants in 2025.

At a ceremony in Jerusalem in late December, Minister Golan thanked the women honored for “proving to all of us that the future of Israel will be better when it is built in full partnership and female leadership.” The directors of past grant recipients Yozmot Atid and IT Works also received the medal of appreciation. Yozmot Atid is a microfinance and business development project that enables thousands of women and men in Israel to establish their own small, independent businesses. IT Works narrows employment gaps and promotes diversity in Israel’s high-tech industry.